KBS apologized for damaging Byeongsan Seowon, a UNESCO World Heritage site, during the filming of the new drama 'I Took the Male Lead's First Night'. However, as evidence emerged that five nails were driven into the cultural heritage wooden pillars, and it was revealed that cultural heritage was also damaged during the filming of 'Dae Jo Yeong' in the past, criticism is pouring in.
According to the Gyeongbuk Police Agency on the 3rd, a complaint titled 'KBS Drama Filming Team's Cultural Heritage Damage Incident' was received through the National Petition Service.
The complainant stated, based on Article 92 (Crimes of Damage or Concealment) of the Law on the Preservation and Utilization of Cultural Heritage, that “the actions of the KBS drama filming team in damaging cultural heritage are clearly subject to legal punishment” and requested, “Even if restoration procedures have been agreed upon, the act of damaging cultural heritage itself cannot be denied as a legal violation. Please conduct a thorough investigation and impose strict penalties.”
The police plan to assign the complaint to the Andong Police Station later that morning.
The day before, Andong City confirmed that the KBS drama filming team left five nail marks on the wooden pillars of Mandae Ru on December 30 last year to hang six model lanterns for props, and stated that they are considering legal action, including filing a complaint.
This incident of cultural heritage damage became known when architect Min Seo-hong posted on his Facebook that he witnessed the damage at Byeongsan Seowon around 3 PM on December 30 last year. He also released on-site photos showing nails being driven into the top of the Mandae Ru pillars for drama props.
He added, “You might think that driving in a nail is not a big deal, but even in a traditional Korean house, one would hesitate to drive in a single nail, and in the case of cultural heritage, shouldn’t we be even more careful?” He expressed his disappointment that such an incident occurred during the filming process of a public broadcaster like KBS, stating, “This is not something that can be dismissed as trivial.”
In response, KBS stated on the 2nd, “We sincerely apologize for causing concern to our viewers due to this incident,” and added, “Regardless of the reasons, KBS recognizes the seriousness of the situation that occurred on site and is truly sorry.”
They continued, “We are currently discussing the best methods for accurately assessing the situation and restoring it. The relevant drama personnel are in contact with the Byeongsan Seowon officials to confirm the situation and discuss restoration procedures,” and stated, “We will actively discuss measures to prevent recurrence and any additional damage that may occur in the future.”
However, criticism is intensifying as it has come to light that KBS damaged the cultural heritage of Mungyeong Saejae during the filming of the 2007 drama 'Dae Jo Yeong'. At that time, KBS was criticized for driving dozens of large nails and wires into the walls and pillars of the first and second gates of Mungyeong Saejae, and they had promised to prevent recurrence.
As a result, netizens are voicing their criticism, saying, “Nailing into cultural heritage? If this is the case, don’t film historical dramas,” “This is habitual,” “They should be properly punished,” “The license fee is a waste,” and “Is it okay for a public broadcaster to do this?”
'I Took the Male Lead's First Night' is a 'no-brake' romance fantasy where an ordinary female college student's soul inhabits a supporting role in a romance novel and spends a night with the novel's strongest obsessive male lead. Seo Hyun, Ok Taec-yeon, Kwon Han-sol, Seo Beom-jun, and Ji Hye-won are among the cast.
